Risen- Drarry COMPLETE

Chapter 6

—Ginny POV—

"He's asleep, let's talk downstairs." I whispered to Harry, leading him out of the room, away from a one-year-old James, before any other sounds could attempt to wake him.

"How is he?" Harry asked, carefully making his way down the stairs, I was just on his tail.

"He's good, took his first steps last week." I answered, feeling a smile creep onto my features. "He's growing so fast," I felt a surge of adoration for James, whom my whole life revolved around nowadays.

"But let's not stray from the conversation, you show up here with a puffy red face and ask how James is doing? I think the real question should be: how are you doing?" I said with a slight chuckle.

"I just needed a breather, was wondering if you wanted to catch up?" I turned, raising an eyebrow. For the first time in an eternity, I took in his features. His face was sunken, he had bags under his tired eyes, he was almost pale, and definitely skinny. Any sort of smile that may have been on my face was gone.

"Harry, you look absolutely ghastly, sit down, please." I gently took his arm and sat him on the couch. "Let's catch up. How have you been the last few months?" I asked, a serious and persistent undertone to my voice.

"Things are fine, really. Things are... good! Good, uhm, things are good." He let out an unconvincing smile.

"And Malfoy?" I asked. Quirking up an eyebrow.

"I..." his smile faltered, and I took his hand in mine, seeing it was shaking.

"Tell me what I have to beat him up for." I said with a caring smirk, hoping to lighten his mood.

"He hasn't done anything wrong, we're just... weird, right now." He took his hand out of mine, standing up. Concern came over me.

"Harry, you know you can trust me, right? I know things haven't been the best with us, but I care about you. What's up?"

"I-I," he sighed. "It's fine, really. Don't worry, I have a therapist now." He looked around. "I'm going to visit Ron and Hermione, yeah? Don't worry about me, Gin. Really." He apparated away before I could open my mouth to protest, and I ended up stuck staring at the empty space that Harry occupied only seconds ago, his smile trying and failing to hide a nervousness that only Harry could characterize, his sickly appearance, how closed off he was. Something wasn't right. Something happened with Malfoy. I quickly made the decision that as soon as mum came back from the store, I would figure out what was going on, and I knew exactly who I was going to talk to.

————

The flames subsided and I was met with a quiet, grey-looking Grimmauld place. I followed the solem sound of piano notes being played slowly, plainly. It wasn't music, they were just... notes. Ascending and descending, changing keys, just... patterns. I walked slowly finding myself in the drawing room. It was Malfoy who was playing those patterns on the piano- scales done slowly, as if he'd just figured them out.

Questions, insistence- hell, a full bloody interrogation was on the tip of my tongue, and suddenly it was held back when I got a glimpse of his face.

"You look almost as dreadful as Harry." I stated plainly. He kept eye contact with me, forcing me to take in his cheeks splotched with pink patches, his puffy eyes, his unruly hair. "What happened?" I asked, taken aback, but not letting it show.

"He's alright, then? He's with you?" He asked simply, face and voice lacking any semblance of emotion.

"He's with Ron and Hermione. I think the definition of 'alright' varies between us, Malfoy."

"He's alive, he's not dead, starving, drinking, cutting-"

"Alright, alright. Then yes, I guess his is fine." I answered, looking at him bewildered as he so monotonously listed off the worst things Harry could possibly be doing as if it wasn't absolutely horrifying to think of, let alone imagine. Then, painful realization dawned on me, like ice across my veins. I furrowed my brows, stepping forward slowly. "He's not..." I swallowed, taking a breath. "He's not... been doing that stuff... right?"

"No. He hasn't. I just like to know what all the possibilities are. I like to be ready, know what to look for. It keeps me sane." He explained simply. "It helps me know if he's actually okay."

I let out a sigh of relief, running my hand through my hair. "And why is he going to me, and not with you? You're both clearly a wreck."

"Long story." He stated simply, continuing to slowly play all of the scales on the piano. A surge of anger came through me and I lunged forward, slamming my hands down on the piano's cover with an awful twang. He jumped.

"Cant you not destroy a priceless musical instrument?! Thank you-"

"Why are you so calm?" I bit, getting right to the infuriating questions.

"You think I'm calm about this? I just got back from the therapist Harry walked out on. Don't talk to me like I'm the one who's caused this-"

"Why did he storm out?"

"How would I know?! He won't talk to me! Memories? I don't know!" He defended, taking offense at my intrusion. I backed away slightly.

"You know if you hurt him I-"

"I know, Merlin. You still don't trust me?!" He sighed. "Get out. I don't have the energy to deal with this right now-"

"Excuse me?!"

"Either calm the bloody-hell down or leave!" He roared. I studied him for a second, before deciding a calmer approach would only help. I backed down.

"Sorry, he just... looked like such a disaster when he visited."

"He looks like that a lot these days." Malfoy commented, keeping his gaze away. "You said he's at Ron and Hermione's?" I nodded slowly, looking at him through narrowed eyes.

"Scorpius is taking a nap. Do you think you could just... make sure he doesn't wake up? I won't be even five minutes." he sighed. I had just noticed how worn down and tired he looked.

"Yeah... yeah. I'll stick around. You're back in five?"

"Five minutes. No more than that, I promise."